When you receive this issue of The Presbyterian Record, I will be representing The Presbyterian Church in Canada at the General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. How exciting it will be for me to visit the church that I served for six years in the early 1970's. I served in Taiwan during a very difficult time; a time when the church was facing political and social persecution. Suffering continues because of Taiwan's position in the world today. I will share news of this visit in my final message in the June issue.
My year as moderator is rapidly drawing to a close. As I reflect on the past 10 months, I do so with excitement and anticipation for the future of the Presbyterian Church. I will admit there are concerns across the Church, but there is also an excitement and for that I thank God.
“Partners in Mission” has been my emphasis as I have visited congregations and groups across the Church. There have been many highlights. A man in a congregation I visited recently told me that he will never again question giving to missions. He is now convinced of the effectiveness of our mission program around the world. He told me that he will happily share in the future.
Mission is not something new – it is our mandate. As Christians we have no choice but to be involved. Christians have been involved in mission, in helping others for hundreds of years. When I look up the word “mission” in the dictionary, I do not find that it is only something that Christians do. Large companies have mission statements – they even use the word “mission” to describe their mandate. Within our Church we continue to journey together with our neighbours, learning and helping each other.
As I think of mission in the church in this millennium, I am reminded about the changes we are seeing in our approach to mission. We are now thinking outside the box. Mission has become something very personal, congregations want hands-on. It is no longer something away out there across the ocean that we just can't even imagine experiencing unless we are called to serve as a missionary. Mission exposure trips have opened the eyes, the ears, and the hearts of our members. Our world has become very small and it is now possible for us to experience first hand the lives of our partners in Canada and around the world. Our partners overseas now know us as people, not only as a church of concerned members across the ocean that send money to help, and occasionally send a missionary.
How are we as a church doing at mission in this new millennium? We are talking more about mission as it relates to justice issues. Our politicians are even talking about environmental issues. What will we have to leave the children of the next generation if we are not good stewards of our natural resources?
We are concerned about water, and how unfair it is that many in the world today drink from murky river beds.
We are concerned about our suffering brothers and sisters around the world, especially those affected by HIV/AIDS. How can we help the young children being raised by grandmothers who struggle daily because they can't afford to feed their grandchildren?
I am constantly reminded how we as a Church can and do make a difference in the lives of many. Let us move forward in mission making a difference in the world. We care and we share.
Blessings.
